The Start of Something Wonderful
by Jeune Ecrivain
Summary: As the clock ticks away towards 2010, Troy implements a plan to make the fourth anniversary of his and Gabriela’s first meeting truly memorable. Troy


**The Start of Something Wonderful  
**

**By Jeune Ecrivain**

**Rating: K+**

**Summary: As the clock ticks away towards 2010, Troy implements a plan to make the fourth anniversary of his and Gabriela's first meeting truly memorable. Troy&Gabriela **

20-year-old Troy Bolton stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the doorway that led from the kitchen to the living room of his large home. It was New Years Eve, and his parents had decided to throw a close-knit party that included all of the Bolton family's closest friends. The room was decorated with balloons, confetti, and snacks galore, typical of his parents' moderately extravagant style. His college basketball teammates were arguing amongst themselves and with his father about who can appropriately be called Michael Jordan's successor as the king of pro basketball courts. One of his three friends that had followed him to New Mexico State University, Kelsi Nielson, a rising playwright and composer, was casually encouraging his mom to take up piano again by showing her some basic chords. Meanwhile, the Boltons' neighbor and friend, Consuela Montez, looked on, silently sipping her punch. However, Troy's gaze was concentrated on Mrs. Montez's daughter, Gabriela, his girlfriend of four years. She was sitting on the couch in a simple sky-blue dress that hugged her in all the right places, chatting with her best friend Taylor. He smiled at the sight, wondering why fate had been kind enough to let him cross paths with her. Although she had a wit that he found paradoxically endearing, she also seemed to have a subtle sweetness about her character that he only found more endearing. She had warm, soulful eyes and a childish smile that was simply impossible to resist. He couldn't stop from chuckling softly as he watched her giggle at something Taylor had said. There was no doubt about it. He loved her, and knowing that she loved him too made it all the more fulfilling.

Lost in his amorous thoughts, he didn't notice Chad come up to him until he was almost at the door. When he finally did notice, he stepped back into the kitchen and let his friend follow him. "Hey, man," said Chad, closing the door behind him. "What's up? You nervous?"

Troy exhaled. "Yeah, I am a little," he admitted, feeling the butterflies in his stomach. "But I'm also really excited. You know?"

"I can only imagine," replied Chad, chuckling at his hopelessly enamored friend. "Anyway,…whenever you're ready. The guys all know what to do."

"Thanks," answered Troy.

Chad responded with a smile and a pat on the shoulder before turning to leave.

Troy bit his lip. "Chad…" The tall African-American turned back to face his teammate and longtime companion. The latter smiled, pulled open a cabinet drawer that was near him, and pulled out the wireless microphone he had hidden there earlier that day. "Let's rock," he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt.

At this, Chad smiled brightly, unable to resist being truly excited for his friend. He opened the door and walked into the living room. "Everybody!" he yelled to catch the attention of the partygoers.

At this moment, Kelsi stared at the piano to keep her wide smile from being too obvious. She had been waiting anxiously for Troy to give the word to put his, her, and Chad's plan into action. She let her fingers assume their nearly second-nature positions on the keys, ready to do some serious playing.

"I think it's time some of the more musical members of our little gathering showed us some of their stuff! What d'ya say?" prompted Chad enthusiastically. He was answered with loud cheers from everyone, so he gladly continued. "Very well, then," he said. "Kelsi, would you do the honors?"

"Gladly," said Kelsi, pulling from her purse a folded piece of sheet music and placing it aptly before her on the piano. She let her eyes meet Chad's for a brief instant, during which he winked at her, before her fingers began to dance across the keys.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Troy's heart sped up as he heard the familiar opening chords to a song that would forever mean so much to him. Their was no turning back now. Gripping the microphone, he opened the door and stepped just outside of the doorway. Catching Gabriela's eye, he smiled warmly and started to sing.

_Living in my own world  
Didn't understand  
That anything can happen  
When you take a chance_

As he sung, he slowly made his way over to Gabriela, who was smiling at him brightly with knowledge and warmth in her eyes. At just the right moment, Chad stealthily thrust a second microphone into her hands, and she giggled softly before joining in.

_I never believed in  
What I couldn't see  
I never opened my heart  
(Oh-oh)  
To all the possibilities_

As their voices blended together for the third verse, the melody seemed to fill the room, and the rest of the party congregated around them as they continued to sing.

_I know that something has changed  
Never felt this way  
And right here tonight_

_This could be the start  
Of something new  
It feels so right  
To be here with you  
And now looking in your eyes  
I feel in my heart  
(Feel in my heart)  
The start of something new_

As they watched their respective kids serenade each other, the Boltons exchanged knowing glances with Consuela Montez. Troy had told them of his plans a few days earlier, and they couldn't have been happier. If it were anyone else, they may have advised him to wait a few more years at least, but with Troy and Gabriela, they knew they'd have only been delaying the inevitable. A few tears escaped Mrs. Montez's eyes as she watched her daughter sing happily with the man she loved, knowing what was soon to come.

_Now who'd of ever thought that  
We'd both be here tonight  
And the world looks so much brighter  
With you by my side  
(By my side)_

_I know that something has changed  
Never felt this way  
I know it for real_

_This could be the start  
Of something new  
It feels so right  
To be here with you  
And now looking in your eyes  
I feel in my heart  
The start of something new_

As the two continued to sing, Troy slowly guided her in front of the fireplace so that his back was to the hearth as they faced each other. Meanwhile, Chad and his other basketball buddies began to arrange themselves between the fireplace and the performing couple. Three of them remained on the floor while another five stepped up onto the ledge in front of the hearth. Gabriela was oblivious, her eyes focused on her longtime boyfriend, but Troy didn't need eyes in the back of his head to know that everything was going according to plan. He took a deep breath and continued.

_I never knew that it could happen  
Till it happened to me  
I didn't know it before  
But now it's easy to see_

_It's the start  
Of something new  
It feels so right  
To be here with you  
And now looking in your eyes  
I feel in my heart_

_That it's the start   
Of something new  
It feels so right  
To be here with you  
And now looking in your eyes  
I feel in my heart  
(Feel in my heart)  
The start of something new  
(The start of something new)  
The start of something new_

As they carried the last "new" along with its accompanying note, Troy used his free hand to take Gabriela's and lowered himself down onto one knee gracefully yet abruptly enough that before Gabriela had a chance to look down in surprise at him, she spotted the NMSU basketball team arranged in a pattern before her. As Kelsi played the last dwindling notes of the song, the players threw open their team jackets in rapid yet smooth succession to reveal alphabetic letters on their T-shirts.

M-A-R-R-Y

M-E ?

Gabriela's expression of pleasure soon gained a new ingredient: astonishment. She looked down at Troy, bewildered. He responded with a nervous smile.

"Gabriela Montez," he said. "The first time I sang with you, the guy that practically forced me into it said one day I might thank him for it. I wasn't so sure back then, but now I feel like I owe him more than he'll ever know. You mean so much to me, and I want you in my life forever." He put down the microphone and timidly drew from his pocket a small, velvet box. "I know we're a little young, but I've never felt so sure of anything in my life." He opened the box to reveal a stunning diamond ring. "So, I'm asking you now to give me the privilege of calling you my wife. So what do you say, Gabriela?"

Gabriela was in tears. "Troy,…Oh, my God!…I…" In her shock, she could barely utter a coherent thought. She was in danger of going into a full-fledged babble session, but Troy just smiled at her gently and rose slowly to his feet.

"You don't have to answer me now, just on the off chance you don't want to turn me down in front of friends and family," he said, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips. "But just know that I love you and I always will…no matter what your answer is," he finished with sincerity in his eyes.

Gabriela looked at him in awe. Could he be any more endearing! She managed a smile through her shock. "Wow, Troy, I…" She looked into his eyes, and that was suddenly all it took. Her ability to speak coherently rushed back, and a smile full of warmth and delight spread across her face. "Troy Bolton, how could you even think I'd say no!" She said with a playful indignance in her voice before her smile turned into a gentle one, and her tone became sincere. "Of course I'll marry you!"

Troy's lips broke out into an ear-to-ear grin, and he promptly slipped the ring onto her finger. As a joint squeal erupted from Taylor and Kelsi, Gabriela could take it no more. She threw her arms around Troy and kissed him deeply, drowning out the cheers that erupted from the surrounding friends and family. They broke apart after about half a minute of passionate lip-lock and held each other close, smiling contentedly. "I love you," Gabriela whispered into his ear.

"I love you, too," Troy whispered back.

For Troy and Gabriela, the year 2010 really would be the start of something new…and wonderful!


End file.
